Vicar’s Transfer: Many Hurt as March Turns Violent May 27, 2014

KOLLAM: A march led by Kureepuzha church parishioners protesting against the Kollam Bishop’s decision to transfer the church vicar turned violent here on Sunday.

Police personnel resorted to lathicharge and fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters after they pelted stones at police personnel. Over 40 protesters and five policemen were injured in the melee.

Many, including women, fainted after the police fired teargas shells to disperse the mob. Mediapersons were injured in the stone pelting. The incident took place around 12 pm. A group of over 500 parishioners took out a protest march against Bishop Stanley Roman’s decision to transfer Joseph Daniel, the vicar of Kureepuzha church, as part of reforms in the diocese.

The group which marched from Altharamoodu was stopped by the police around 100 metres in front of the Bishop’s House at Thangassery. Then then staged a sit-in, demanding reversal of the Bishop’s direction.

Two representatives from the Bishop’s House, who held talks with the protesters explained that the transfer was a routine one and the decision can’t be reversed.

It was after this that the mob turned violent. “We are carrying a routine procedure, which usually is done during this time of the year. We think that many of the protesters are not church-going people and they have deliberately instigated the incident to create unrest among believers in the diocese,” said a member of Bishop’s House.

He also added that to question the transfer is like questioning the Bishop and as the vicar himself had accepted this transfer, there is no meaning in the protest.